Xu Qing stopped in his tracks and lowered his head to look at the command sword in his hand.
The decree came very suddenly and did not mention the reason. As for the voice, he was a little familiar. After thinking carefully, he remembered that it was Deacon Sima from the Taisi Immortal Sect.
Xu Qing's gaze was deep. He thought of Zhang Siyun and the Yao family and became vigilant.
"Why is Deacon Sima looking for me?
"
While Xu Qing was thinking, his command sword vibrated again. This time, it was Kong Xianglong's voice transmission.
"Xu Qing, you've received the decree too, right?
"
"Yes."
Xu Qing was deep in thought and had a vague answer.
"Then that's right. Little River and Little Chen have also received it. Sigh, it should be the follow-up to our killing of the Holy Wave Tribe.
"
After knowing that Xu Qing had also received the decree, Kong Xianglong hurriedly ended the voice transmission. He was on his way to the Sword Holding Palace.
Xu Qing pondered for a while and left the Punishment Division.
At this moment, the sky was dusk. The sunset seemed to be smeared across the sky and scattered on the ground with the help of the afterglow, as if it wanted to reflect the blood color of the land.
Xu Qing looked up and leaped up, flying towards the Sword Holding Palace.
The identity of a deacon was a high position in the Sword Holding Palace.
Among the things that Deacon Sima was responsible for, most of them were related to law enforcement, including the internal discipline of the Sword Holding Palace.
Therefore, whether it was Kong Xianglong or Xu Qing, neither of them could ignore his orders.
Not long after, while Xu Qing was thinking about how to deal with it, he arrived at the Sword Holding Palace. As soon as he arrived, he saw Kong Xianglong and Night Spirit.
"We won't admit it!"
Kong Xianglong immediately sent a voice transmission when he saw Xu Qing flying over.
Xu Qing nodded. Not long after, Shan Hezi and Wang Chen also arrived. Their faces were gloomy and somewhat ugly.
After arriving beside Xu Qing and Kong Xianglong, Shan Hezi immediately started cursing.
"Brother Kong, Xu Qing, what is the Sword Holding Palace doing?
Ah, are we wrong? "
"
"Little River!"
Kong Xianglong glared.
Shan Hezi snorted and did not speak anymore.
"It's still unknown whether things are as we think. Let's go. Don't let Deacon Sima wait."
"
Kong Xianglong said slowly and walked forward.
Xu Qing thought for a moment and turned to look at Shan Hezi, who was suppressing his anger, and Wang Chen's misty clone.
It's better if more people see it...
"
Shan Hezi and Wang Chen immediately understood and took out their jade slips. Night Spirit did the same.
Kong Xianglong did not stop him, but the large strides he took turned into small steps.
Just like that, the group of them stepped through the entrance of the Sword Administration Palace. After walking for the time for an incense stick to burn, they finally arrived at the Discipline Palace where Deacon Sima resided.
There were dozens of people standing solemnly outside the Commandment Palace.
All of them had cold expressions, and their cultivations were extraordinary. They did not wear the Daoist robes of the Sword Holding Palace, but yellow. The word "Dao" was embroidered on their sleeves.
After seeing Xu Qing and the others, the gazes of these people swept over.
Kong Xianglong's eyebrows shot up, but he refrained from saying anything. He stood outside of the Discipline Hall, clasping hands and bowing.
"This lowly one is Kong Xianglong, and I have come in response to Deacon Sima's orders.
"
"They are cultivators from the Yao Clan.
"
Wang Chen's misty clone reminded Xu Qing softly. Then, just like Ye Xianglong, he cupped his fists and spoke.
Xu Qing, Shan Hezi and Night Spirit greeted him as well.
As the crowd spoke, a cold snort came from the Discipline Hall. Then, three people walked out from the hall.
The one in the middle was Zhang Siyun's grandmaster, Deacon Sima.
To his left was an old man wearing the same Daoist robes as the Yao Clan cultivators, but the fluctuations of his Spirit Treasure were extremely obvious. His eyes seemed to contain lightning, and he swept his expressionless gaze over Xu Qing and the others.
There was another person to Deacon Sima's right.
The moment they saw him, Xu Qing and the others narrowed their eyes.
He wasn't human.
He was a Sage.
A member of the Lan Clan.
It was the middle-aged black-robed guard from the Holy Lan Clan who had come roaring after Xu Qing and the others had slaughtered their way over. In the end, he hadn't crossed the border.
This person clearly had a certain status in the Holy Lan Clan. His cultivation was also in the Spirit Treasure realm. As his aura spread out, four secret treasures vaguely appeared.
He stood to Deacon Sima's right and swept his cold gaze over Xu Qing and the others.
Xu Qing thought it was a joke to see the Holy Lan Clan in the Sword Holding Palace. At the same time, he noticed that Kong Xianglong and the others were also breathing rapidly.
At that moment, Deacon Sima spoke to the Yao Clan elder on his left.
"Steward Sun, they're all here. You can ask them."
"Yes."
The old man from the Yao clan nodded when he heard this. He first cupped his hands and bowed to warden Sima before turning his head to look coldly at Xu Qing and the rest. His expression was incomparably gloomy and his voice was filled with killing intent as he spoke in a deep voice.
"How dare you!"
"Yes."
"You didn't even ask for a reason. You cruelly killed the Holy Lan Clan's envoy who came to visit my Fenghai County!"
"Yes."
"You've ruined the diplomatic relations between our two clans. You deserve death!"
"Yes."
Xu Qing frowned slightly. There was something wrong with the other party's words. The main point wasn't that he'd killed them, but that he'd killed them without any reason.
This reprimand made Xu Qing feel as if the other party wanted them to tell him the reason.
But … according to Xu Qing's understanding of the Sword Holding Palace, he was well aware of the matter of receiving spies.
They couldn't say it out loud. The spies between the two clans had a tacit understanding of each other.
But if they said it out loud, it would be different. The other party would seize on this point and make things difficult for them.
In addition, their answers might give the other party some clues.
Xu Qing was deep in thought. Shan Hezi and the others quickly understood this principle. They weren't stupid.
They didn't speak, and Kong Xianglong was even more confused.
"Tortured and killed the Holy Lan Clan's envoy?
That's impossible. We've been cultivating all this time. Everyone can testify to each other. "
"Hmph."
The Yao Clan elder snorted coldly, as if he couldn't be bothered to argue with a brat like Kong Xianglong. Thus, a respectful expression appeared on his face.
The cultivator cupped his fists.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, what do you think?"
"Hmph."
Holy Lan Clan
The middle-aged blackguard glanced at Xu Qing and the others. He suddenly smiled and turned to Deacon Sima beside him.
"Deacon Sima, the reason for this is that on the way here, the Holy Lan Clan's envoy discovered that there was a spy of unknown origin in the envoy group. This person stole an important item of our clan."
"Hmph."
"Thus, the envoy ordered a warrant to capture him. But in the end, not only was the spy not found, but the envoy group's entourage was also cruelly killed by your Sword Holding Palace."
"Hmph."
"Could it be that the spy who stole our clan's important item was sent by your Sword Holding Palace?
Deliberately coming to steal from us?
Our two clans have been on good terms for generations. Is this the intention of your Sword Holding Palace, Fenghai County, or the Human Clan? "
"Incited?
"
At this point, the middle-aged blackguard's eyes lit up. He raised his right hand and waved. Suddenly, a jade slip appeared with an image flashing on it.
In the image, it was the scene of Xu Qing and the others killing the half-step Nascent Soul cultivator and escaping. It also included Kong Xianglong's last three sentences. It was very clear.
Kong Xianglong and the others revealed a cold glint in their eyes.
Xu Qing was expressionless, but his eyes were equally cold.
Deacon Sima's expression didn't change from beginning to end. At this moment, after glancing at the image in the jade slip, he shook his head.
"My Sword Holding Palace did not have such a decree, nor did we have a spy."
"
The old man from the Yao Clan said coldly when he heard this.
"If there is no spy and they don't go in to carry out the rescue mission, then these people's actions are completely private. Torturing and killing Holy Lan Clan cultivators in an attempt to cause a war between the two clans is unforgivable!"
""
"Men, arrest them and send them to the Holy Lan Clan to comfort our allies."
"Those heroes who died tragically!"
"
As soon as the Yao Clan elder spoke, the dozens of Yao Clan cultivators in the square immediately dispersed their cultivation and walked towards Xu Qing and the others.
A cold glint flashed in Xu Qing's eyes. Kong Xianglong suddenly raised his head and revealed an unfriendly look. At this moment, long rainbows suddenly appeared behind the square and whizzed over.
The momentum was so great that it created a whistling sound as it headed straight for the square.
Following the rumbling sound, figures instantly descended. They were all Sword Holders!
They were all Sword Holders from the Eight Sect Alliance.
Over the years, most of the Sword Holders of the Eight Sect Alliance had been assigned to other provinces, but today, those who stayed in the county capital had all arrived.
On the way here, Xu Qing had already sent them a voice transmission.
As they arrived, the Sword Holders of the Eight Sect Alliance dispersed their murderous auras and guarded Xu Qing and the others. They grinned contemptuously at the Yao Clan cultivators.
"Interesting. Capturing Sword Holders in our Sword Holding Palace?
"
"Come, come, come. Take your grandfather away and send him to the Holy Lan Clan!"
""
"Comfort the souls of the Holy Lan Clan?"
""
As they spoke, the Sword Holders circulated their cultivation. Their auras soared into the sky and killing intent filled the air.
The Yao Clan cultivators stopped in their tracks.
Steward Sun of the Yao Clan snorted coldly. Just as he was about to speak, a whistling sound could be heard from afar!
Another group of Sword Holders whizzed over with a sharp whistling sound.
There were more than a hundred people, and each of them had a murderous aura. They were the lowest of the Primordial Lightning Veins and had rushed over after receiving Wang Chen's notice.
As they approached, thunder rumbled and shook the heavens and earth.
Chen Tinghao was also among them. He sneered in mid-air.
"Who dares to touch the Sword Holders!?"
""